 |
| courtesy of LVPI |
I obtained a copy of Quinito Henson's article in Philippine Star dated March 23, 2006. What I find extremely interesting about the old article is that the names of Wei Jizhong and Tats Suzara appear.
Re: All's well that ends well: the 2007 BAP-SBP
merger
RP 5
qualified for Asiad
SPORTING CHANCE By Joaquin M. Henson
The Philippine Star 03/23/2006
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Asian Games task force head Go Teng Kok said yesterday the national cage team is qualified to play in Doha late this year and the only stumbling block is the suspension by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
Go was recently in Doha with former Asian Basketball Confederation secretary-general Moying Martelino and Tats Suzara to confer with the Asian Games organizing committee on procedural matters.
"Because our basketball team finished fourth in the last Asian Games, we are automatically seeded in Doha," said Go. "But since we’re suspended, we couldn’t accept the entry form for basketball."
Go reported that several influential Asian sports officials offered to assist the POC in convincing FIBA to lift the country’s suspension. He singled out China’s Wei Ji Zhong, chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Sports Commission and president of Asian volleyball, as particularly sympathetic to the Philippine cause.
"It was Mr. Wei who advised us to just proceed with what we’re doing," related Go. "Mr. Wei even asked to be briefed on the chronology of events that led to the suspension and how the POC is handling the problem."
Wei told Go there is no reason why FIBA secretary-general Patrick Baumann will deny POC’s endorsement of Pilipinas Basketball as the country’s new affiliate to FIBA in place of the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) which has been expelled by the General Assembly.
"The basketball stakeholders strictly followed the conditions set by the memorandum of understanding signed by FIBA and the POC," said Go.
The only hitch is BAP president Joey Lina’s refusal to support Pilipinas Basketball. One of Bauman’s conditions to the POC is the unanimous approval from the five major stakeholders–the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), the Philippine Basketball League, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and Lina–of Pilipinas Basketball. Lina has declined to support the new organization and is insisting on retaining the BAP in a "revitalized" form.
Go said more than the BAP, Baumann is aware that the PBA holds the key to the success or failure of the basketball NSA.
"Mr. Baumann knows the best players in the country are in the PBA and it is in FIBA’s interest for every country member to play its best in international competitions," continued Go. "We all know the PBA is the best Filipino league and its support is crucial for the national team to succeed. The PBA will no longer lend its players to the BAP and is committed to Pilipinas Basketball."
Go said the results of the coming FIBA-Asia elections will also impact on the Philippines’ fate. The voting is scheduled May in Kuwait with secretary-general Yeoh Choo Hock of Malaysia, a known BAP ally, trying to fend off the challenge of Middle Asia secretary-general Harih Sharma of India.
Lina said if FIBA expels the BAP as country affiliate to pave the way for Pilipinas Basketball’s recognition, it will send a danger signal to all NSAs that they may be unfairly killed by a National Olympic Committee.
Lina said in a letter dated last Aug. 30, Baumann said the POC’s expulsion of the BAP as an NSA was "inappropriate" and "out of proportion." He argued that on the basis of Baumann’s conclusion, the BAP has a strong case to present before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
But Go said Baumann was subsequently enlightened by the POC, which explained the expulsion was the result of due process and strict compliance of procedures. FIBA and the POC, in fact, signed a memorandum of understanding last Sept. 29 to dispel the earlier notion that the expulsion was "inappropriate."
Lina said he is committing to make radical changes in the BAP’s constitution, by-laws and leadership structure and assured the other stakeholders they will not compromise themselves by taking the BAP approach in resolving the impasse.
"Inheriting past liabilities should not be a cause for concern," said Lina. "The BAP officials can always sign an undertaking to assume the liabilities. And as far as cases in court are concerned, the BAP is still around so that’s not a problem either. It’s been over eight years since the BAP was sued by another group called the BAPI (Basketball Association of the Philippines, Inc.) but that hasn’t stopped us from operating."
Lina mentioned that the BAP went to court last year to force its reinstatement as an NSA in order to keep basketball in the Southeast Asian Games calendar.
"We won the case but the POC refused to accept the decision," said Lina. "We filed a case for contempt but that’s now academic since the Games are over. All we wanted was even just a temporary reinstatement to play basketball then the POC can remove us again after the Games."
Reinstating the BAP as an NSA is not an option for the POC because the General Assembly has spoken. Without NSA status, the BAP cannot continue to be accepted as a country affiliate by FIBA. That is a rule which not even the CAS can override or dismiss. The BAP’s expulsion as country affiliate is therefore inevitable.
Sacrifice is necessary to push Philippine basketball forward. Now is the time for the country’s sports leaders to show their patriotism, selflessness and commitment to what is in the best interest of the majority.
SPORTING CHANCE By Joaquin M. Henson
The Philippine Star 03/23/2006
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Asian Games task force head Go Teng Kok said yesterday the national cage team is qualified to play in Doha late this year and the only stumbling block is the suspension by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
Go was recently in Doha with former Asian Basketball Confederation secretary-general Moying Martelino and Tats Suzara to confer with the Asian Games organizing committee on procedural matters.
"Because our basketball team finished fourth in the last Asian Games, we are automatically seeded in Doha," said Go. "But since we’re suspended, we couldn’t accept the entry form for basketball."
Go reported that several influential Asian sports officials offered to assist the POC in convincing FIBA to lift the country’s suspension. He singled out China’s Wei Ji Zhong, chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Sports Commission and president of Asian volleyball, as particularly sympathetic to the Philippine cause.
"It was Mr. Wei who advised us to just proceed with what we’re doing," related Go. "Mr. Wei even asked to be briefed on the chronology of events that led to the suspension and how the POC is handling the problem."
Wei told Go there is no reason why FIBA secretary-general Patrick Baumann will deny POC’s endorsement of Pilipinas Basketball as the country’s new affiliate to FIBA in place of the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) which has been expelled by the General Assembly.
"The basketball stakeholders strictly followed the conditions set by the memorandum of understanding signed by FIBA and the POC," said Go.
The only hitch is BAP president Joey Lina’s refusal to support Pilipinas Basketball. One of Bauman’s conditions to the POC is the unanimous approval from the five major stakeholders–the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), the Philippine Basketball League, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and Lina–of Pilipinas Basketball. Lina has declined to support the new organization and is insisting on retaining the BAP in a "revitalized" form.
Go said more than the BAP, Baumann is aware that the PBA holds the key to the success or failure of the basketball NSA.
"Mr. Baumann knows the best players in the country are in the PBA and it is in FIBA’s interest for every country member to play its best in international competitions," continued Go. "We all know the PBA is the best Filipino league and its support is crucial for the national team to succeed. The PBA will no longer lend its players to the BAP and is committed to Pilipinas Basketball."
Go said the results of the coming FIBA-Asia elections will also impact on the Philippines’ fate. The voting is scheduled May in Kuwait with secretary-general Yeoh Choo Hock of Malaysia, a known BAP ally, trying to fend off the challenge of Middle Asia secretary-general Harih Sharma of India.
Lina said if FIBA expels the BAP as country affiliate to pave the way for Pilipinas Basketball’s recognition, it will send a danger signal to all NSAs that they may be unfairly killed by a National Olympic Committee.
Lina said in a letter dated last Aug. 30, Baumann said the POC’s expulsion of the BAP as an NSA was "inappropriate" and "out of proportion." He argued that on the basis of Baumann’s conclusion, the BAP has a strong case to present before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
But Go said Baumann was subsequently enlightened by the POC, which explained the expulsion was the result of due process and strict compliance of procedures. FIBA and the POC, in fact, signed a memorandum of understanding last Sept. 29 to dispel the earlier notion that the expulsion was "inappropriate."
Lina said he is committing to make radical changes in the BAP’s constitution, by-laws and leadership structure and assured the other stakeholders they will not compromise themselves by taking the BAP approach in resolving the impasse.
"Inheriting past liabilities should not be a cause for concern," said Lina. "The BAP officials can always sign an undertaking to assume the liabilities. And as far as cases in court are concerned, the BAP is still around so that’s not a problem either. It’s been over eight years since the BAP was sued by another group called the BAPI (Basketball Association of the Philippines, Inc.) but that hasn’t stopped us from operating."
Lina mentioned that the BAP went to court last year to force its reinstatement as an NSA in order to keep basketball in the Southeast Asian Games calendar.
"We won the case but the POC refused to accept the decision," said Lina. "We filed a case for contempt but that’s now academic since the Games are over. All we wanted was even just a temporary reinstatement to play basketball then the POC can remove us again after the Games."
Reinstating the BAP as an NSA is not an option for the POC because the General Assembly has spoken. Without NSA status, the BAP cannot continue to be accepted as a country affiliate by FIBA. That is a rule which not even the CAS can override or dismiss. The BAP’s expulsion as country affiliate is therefore inevitable.
Sacrifice is necessary to push Philippine basketball forward. Now is the time for the country’s sports leaders to show their patriotism, selflessness and commitment to what is in the best interest of the majority.
What I find significant as well is that the names of Wei and Suzara appear together in an issue involving the Philippine Olympic Committee's expulsion of a National Sports Association (NSA). Could it be that the expulsion of Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) from FIBA, as contained in the article, was the start of the deliberate disenfranchisement of NSA's by POC with the help of Wei and Suzara ?
No comments:
Post a Comment